Have you noticed as Spring becomes prevalent you decide you no longer need to be vigilant about your immunity; just after relaxing with a nice ahh a cough and/or sniffles begin? If your under the weather and need more then spring greens to feel better, try this recipe.

I used to work for the Forest Service caring for wild-lands. The job entailed thinning trees in fire danger areas. This helps protect old-growth trees from ladder fuels which could start crown (canopy) fires. So, while felling trees we want the most oxidative to remain standing. I write this information because Handstand (Adho-mukha-vrksasana) is Downward-facing-tree-pose and while it is important to focus our breath, core strength is also integral to remain standing.

When ready incorporate handstands into a session with handstand kick-ups. Usually, during Salutations with variations. From Downward-facing-dog scissor kick by bringing the leg, that would normally lunge forward (let's say the right), half-way up the mat and kicking the other leg (the left) overhead followed by the right leg and while the legs are overhead bringing the left leg down followed by the right. Continuing, from forward bend through Salutations, or any fun flow, with the left leg moving forward and kicking up the right leg etc. Now, if you haven't already started, your doing Adho-mukha-vrksasana!

Yoga is a way of using our minds and bodies to feel good (therapeutic effects). Try cow's face (ghomukhasana) arms for shoulder flexibility and care. Use yoga breathing (pranayama) for energy and filtered air. Practice swan-feather pose (pinca-hamsasana) for lumbago and mind/body awareness. These poses are anecdotel for me and may help you too.

Once, while snowboarding I fell off a rail and swiped my shoulder going down. My deltoids felt bruised (bleeding from the inside) and battered, of no use; possibly dislocated. Whatever the case, I was in grave pain.

Usually, I can deal and end up feeling fine. This time, was different; I sat on the deck of the lodge contemplating calling an ambulance. I couldn't drive in this state, I was dazed and confused, no friends in sight. Where as, I have driven to the emergency room arm raised, while bleeding because I've stabbed myself, accidently of course, darn avacado seed.

Anyway, my only reprive was sitting in gomukhasana (cows face) arms. The arm of my hurt shoulder hugging behind my back reaching towards my cervicle spine (neck) and the other arm reaching up past my ear bent at the elbow inching down my neck. I grasped my fingers together and held on despite the raging I felt throughout my shoulder.

I sat in ghomukhasana imagining an ambulance driving to the rescue while the pose did it's work. Finally, ten to twenty minutes later I released my hands from the pose (asana). Blood gushed (pumped) through my shoulder; range of motion intact.

I didn't ride the rest of the day. I enjoyed the sunshine and the fact I made it through major grief. I felt happy knowing I could survive and continue to ride another day, a different hour; albeit, more cautiously but still living - LOL (laugh out loud).

I continued to use cow's face arms diligently; especially, that day and when I felt pain throughout the week and months ahead. I'd reach into pose and be saved by the beneficial (therapeutic) effects of yoga.

The first time I realized yoga was more than posing, the skies in Montana were smoke covered; for nearly a quarter of a century the skies had been clear. The first summer of smoke was actually my first summer away from wildland firefighting. Ironically I felt protected from smoke while working to put it out, but had no control over inhaling it as a "civilian". Over the next decade the air was seasonally tainted.

During this time, I jogged in the midst of smoke; I recalled yoga breathing, breathing in and out of the nose only. I began using the technique while jogging. Snot poured out my nostrils, I became self-conscious but resolved to naturally filter the air I was breathing .

Initially, I felt like I wasn't getting a full breath because I was used to mouth breathing. However, I kept practicing yoga breathing (nose only breathes) and soon I no longer needed an inhaler for the adult-onset asthma I was experiencing. My difficulty breathing became a non-issue. Simply, because I focused on pranayama (breathing), literally translated as "life force". The human body is truly its own best medicine.

Swan Feather Pose (Pinca-Hamsasana) a third example of yoga therapy came into my life after many months of misery. I awoke from sleeping unable to get out of bed. I was paralyzed. I literally couldn't walk. I'd been going through some extreme life changes due to a difficult life changes. My life felt like it was caving in.

I moved my home studio to where I was living now, my only reprive from the "no life" I was "living". Grateful, for the square footage and an area of daylight space, for a client or two.

I had a Partner Yoga Session scheduled that evening. My clients entered. I had been crawling to get around and upon their arrival was able to stand, although the pain was debilitating. I greeted my customers with a smile, pretending I was perfectly okay. I sank down into a squat, as I began verbalizing ques.

The session was a relative success for I could stand while squating felt therepeutic and my clients did well. I went to a chiropractor and masseuse. Yet, my body did not feel alive and the sacral pain was prominent.

That year I attended a four day Yoga Therapy workshop. We breathed, chakra balanced, spoke about subtle energy and used hand symbols (mudras) to align and center along with gems, colors and aromas. We spoke about the process of healing and the importance of mind over matter. However, I was still feeling sacral pain and misalignment.

The final day of the Mind Body Conference. We continually worked on asana. I was introduced to Pinca-hamsasana (Swan-feather-pose). Some of the participants failed to try the pose. Yet, I continued to move in and out of the pose. The sacral pain ceased, I felt cured.

The healing process is amazing with the practice of yoga. Pinca-hamsasana, Pranayama and Go-mukhasana, among other yoga practices, help me feel strong, balanced, flexible and relaxed. As the saying goes, "movement (yoga) is medicine..."

Legs Up Pose (Supta Dandasana) stretches the back of the legs while the wall and floor support the body. First, lay supine (on your back) and secure a neutral spinal position by placing 4 fingers underneath the small of the back while the sacrum is supported by the floor. Next, place legs up the wall and lengthen the legs until there is no bend at the knees while keeping the sacrum grounded. Finally, scoot closer to the wall while keeping a neutral spine and long legs. This pose is restful and reinvigorates the feet and legs. Move into Supported Upright Sitting by side laying, pushing up to sitting and placing your back against the wall while lengthening the legs. This pose tones the abdominal walls while stretching the back of the legs. Now, try Upright Sitting Pose (Dandasana) by moving away from the wall and keep a neutral spinal position. Gently squeeze the rhomboids [muscles connecting the scapula (shoulder blades) and spine]. Lengthen through the neck, aligning ears over the shoulders – leading with the heart not the head. If you don’t feel a stretch to the legs begin hinging at the hips while lengthening (not rounding) the spine into Sitting Forward Hinge (Pascimottanasana).
Sitting with legs elongated improves circulation, back strength, abdominal lift and leg flexibility. Once the hamstring muscles stretch and release the back can lengthen and elongate. In the final pose the back strengthens, while the abdominal muscles lift and the hamstrings (back of the legs) stretch. The meridians in the body relax and release, so a foot issue doesn’t become a neck and shoulder problem or vise-versa.

Core Strengthening is fun and invigorating. Yoga core strengthening poses are varied and produce excellent results. One core strengthening pose which has become popular in the fitness industry over the last decade is called hover or plank (caturanga dandasana). This pose has been practiced by yogins over thousands of years!

Arm balance poses also invigorate the core muscles and contribute to sleek well-toned abdominal muscles because the abs pull in tight reverberating all the way to the pelvic floor muscles. Crane and Side crane are examples of straight arm core balancers and bent arm versions are called crow and side-crow. Balancing the core by working side abdominal muscles (obliques) and back muscles can be accomplished in side plank (and variations) as well as reverse plank (and variations). Namaste!

A yoga (connecting) essence is a way of living holistic. Using wisdom with the associations of various parts of our bodies makes for a mindful practice. For example our 1st energy center is located around the Coccygeal Plexus and incorporates the color red, the right to have, community, security and success, the sound lahm and the wisdom of inclusion being without judgment of ourselves or others.

Continue up the spine to the wisdom of the Sacral Plexus, 2nd energy center, associated with the right to feel, creative and committed, the color orange, the sound vahm and the wisdom of feeling the sensations of our bodies. To be intrinsic without competition or comparisons is connected with the 3rd energy center located around the Solar Plexus, the right to act confident and courageous, the color yellow and the sound rahm. These associations are mindful, wealthy and wise.

The balance center from the tailbone to the top of the head is the pulmonary/cardiac plexi. Partnered with breathing symbolic of love (compassion, caring and kindness) along with the element of air, the color green and the sound yahm. Above or below, depending on your pose is the 5th power part located around the Pharyngeal Plexus; related to the essence of listening to the breath, communication, cooperation and consensus. The 5th is connected to the element of sound, color blue and sound hahm.

The 6th power piece at the Carotid Plexus (brow center) is relevant to intuition being without assumptions, blame or expectations. Associated with the element of light, right to see, vision and clarity, color purple and the sound auhm (om). The 7th energy center located with the Cerebral Cortex is united to the essence of consciousness being present in the moment, symbolic of universal knowledge, the element of space (ether), the color white and silence.

The wisdom associated with specific chakras can improve our mind/body connection when used in conjunction with yoga poses. Essence 1) Legs Up - to invert legs and feet, 2) Supine Butterfly – feeling flexible and relaxed through the inner thigh (groin), 3) Spinal Twist– for an inner massage to the organs, back (spine) and torso, 4) Bridge - opens the heart and lungs, 5) Fish – is an anti-aging pose for the neck and face, 6) Apanasana - clears the head and sinuses and 7) Final Relaxation – provides rest rejuvinating the mind and body.

A wisdom of inclusion without judgment of ourselves or others, feeling the sensations of the body and the energy in and around us, along with being intrinsic without competition or comparisons, breathing pranayama “life force”, as well as listening to our bodies, breath, heart and lungs etc., including intuition without assumptions, blame or expectations and, of course, consciousness - present (a gift) in the moment improves physical, subtle, emotional, intellectual and blissful wellness!

Lay down supine (on your back) with your feet placed near your tailbone. Place hands under the arch of your back, about 4 fingers should fit. Remove fingers and feel the neutral spinal position. Then, press the lower back down and round or tuck the tailbone while squeezing abdominals. Next, arch the back and lift the tailbone while squeezing the back muscles. Repeat, you can also do this movement standing.

Posterior and anterior pelvic tilts connect the upper and lower body improving synovial fluid flow, helping the body to be more supple, graceful and flexible.

Begin, by lying in your bed at night settling into final relaxation (savasana) by lying supine (on your back) with your shoulder blades, in back, gently tucked and settled underneath the chest with legs outstretched and palms of the hands facing up with the arms out from your sides about 20*. Next, begin thinking about the colors of the rainbow; red, orange, yellow, green, blue and purple evenly spaced from the tailbone to the middle of the brain or brow center. Furthermore, think of those colors as clockwise, rotating funnels emanating front and back indicating a healthy source of the body’s energy. More specifically, imagine the energy centers true location; the 1st (red) chakra is located at the coccygeal plexus (tailbone), the 2nd (orange) chakra is located at the sacral plexus (abdomen), the 3rd yellow chakra is located at the solar plexus (diaphragm), the 4th (green) chakra is located at the cardiac/pulmonary plexus (heart/lung center), 5th (blue) chakra is located at the pharyngeal plexus (throat), 6th (purple) chakra is located at the carotid plexus (brain center) and the 7th (white) chakra is located through-out the cerebral cortex (top of the head). Finally, feel the body as a harmonious whole – physically, energetically, emotionally, intellectually and spiritually. Sweet dreams!

Before getting out of bed 1.) while laying on your back (supine) 2.) do a few pelvic tilts and 3.) pelvic circles 4.) bring your knees towards your chest and hug underneath 5.)open your arms out to the sides and take your knees to one side and then the other - use pillows underneath the knees for support and comfort if needed 6.) roll out of bed and 7.) stand in mountain (tadasana) for a few breaths – grateful to begin a new day.

First, truthfulness (satya), there is honesty in silence; especially if speaking could harm someone. Second, contentment (santosha), feeling satisfied with who you are, what you are, when you are, where you are and why you are – easily knowing who, what, when, where and why. Third, postures (asana) because, “Movement (kriya) is medicine for creating change in our physical, mental and emotional states.” - Carol Welch. For examples of kriya find “triceps and lunges” and other video footage at www.youtube.com/katieacampbell18b Fourth, pranayama literally translated as “life force” is breathing exercise. Bhastrika (energizing breathes) occur by quickly inhaling, expanding the abdominals, exhaling and squeezing the abs, feeling the energy flow. FifthpPratyahara (sensory withdrawal), of taste (food) before practicing yoga and throughout the day can enhance mind/body benefits. Sixth, dharana (concentration) allows us to be present in the moment. Seventh, dhyana (continued focus) improves performance. Eight, samadhi (bliss) may arise in many ways such as warm fuzziness, cool tingles, a deeper mind/body connection and/or enhanced physical, subtle, emotional, intellectual and spiritual states – feeling as One!

I am an E-RYT (Experienced - Registered Yoga Teacher/Trainer). I established Yoga Training (Touch) in Helena, MT in 2008. Studio 18A is located @ 18 S. Harrison near the base of Mount Helena in Helena, MT. Clients see me by appointment in the comfort of their own home or at another place of mutual agreement.